法華義疏 7.228

7.228

「譬如童子」下，第二、頌譬說。上文有三：初、請說；二、開譬；三、合譬。今但頌後二。上開譬有十，今但頌八譬，不頌冷水灑面及陶練小心。上明父子有四番：初番、明子有三義：一、初為子義，二、中途失父義，三、子漸還鄉義。今具頌之。但類例相從，轉勢為異耳。初明子二義：一、為子時；二、失父時。子漸還鄉，迴在後頌之。初半行明為子時。「童子」者，喻初發菩提心也。「幼稚」者，明善根微淺也。「無識」者，上明解小，今辨惑多也。次一行，頌中途相失也。「其父憂念」下，第二、頌上父也。長行明父有三：一、為父時，二、失子時，三、中止一城以待子時。今偈以類相從，超取重明父入今文頌之，則開為四，三文如上，第四明憶子之苦也。「其父」二字，頌上為父義也。「憂念」已下，頌上第二失子義也。「四方」者，四生也。子失父而稱五道，父失子據於四生，蓋互現文耳。「求之既疲」下，頌上第三、頓止一城以待於子。長行有四：一、化處；二、化主；三、教門；四、徒眾。今具頌之。「頓止一城」者，頌化處也。「造立舍宅」者，第二、明垂應成佛，頌化主也。無為而無不為故言造立，覆陰眾生稱之為舍。又垂應自居亦是舍也。五道皆化，淺深隨機，謂「五欲」也。至人以度物為樂，稱為「自娛」。「其家大富」，歎化主也。此文大意對子失父之貧賤，歎父失子而富貴，明聲聞失大乘故貧賤，佛得大乘故富貴。以此抑揚，令時眾欣大而惡小也。就文為三：初、明父大富義；次、嘆父大貴義；三、雙結富貴義。富貴各明三事。富三事者：一者、內多珍寶；二、外豐象馬車乘田業人民；三、出入息利遍於他國。今嘆內富即是內備眾德。「象馬牛羊」下，此歎外富，謂教門也。「僮僕人民」下，猶是歎外富，謂所化徒眾也。「出入息利」下，上明一國之富，今明富遍他國，猶是釋迦所化徒眾義耳。「商估價人」者，商估謂行商，坐估謂賣物人也。價人謂買物人也。此長安地呼買為賈，不必依書典也。「千萬億眾」下，第二、嘆父貴義。亦開三別：初半行，明近眾；次半行，明十方佛之所愛念；次半行，明十方菩薩所共宗重也。「以諸緣故」下一行，結富貴義。以富貴具足故往來者眾，赴機為往，受道為來，其數塵沙故云眾也。「而年朽邁益憂念子」下，第四、頌上重明父義。上有二章：一、憶子之苦；二、假設得子之樂。今但頌初也。「爾時窮子」下，此第三番重頌子也。長行明子有三義：一、為子時；二、失父時；三、漸還鄉時。初番已頌其二，今次頌第三子漸還鄉。所以迴初置今頌者，欲明子還鄉有近遠三時：一、向國時；二、到城時；三、至舍時。蓋是類例相從，故轉勢頌也。初半行，頌上馳騁四方以求衣食，謂向國時也。「從邑至邑」下二偈，頌上第二至城時也。然善根有二種：一者、平品相生，如從邑至邑從國至國；二者、增品相生，如從邑至國。長行顯其增品，今明其平品也。「或有所得或無所得」者，行善因得善果為有所得，行無記因不得果為無所得。又定得果為有所得，緣差不得果為無所得也。「飢餓羸瘦」者，樂果不得自充足為飢餓，福因不能自強如羸瘦也。「體生瘡癬」者，上明善小，今辨惑多，外則受於譏毀，內為眾惑所瘵塵也。「傭賃展轉」下，第四、父子相見譬，有二：初、頌子見父；次、頌父見子。子見父中長行有三：一、明見父緣由；二、明正見父；三、起避畏心。今具頌之。「爾時長者」下，頌正見父。長行有六句，今但頌三：一行，頌化主；半行，頌徒眾；一行，頌教門。此既是真法說者，聽人三事故頌之也。「門內」者，至理虛通為門。長者既在門內，顯窮子居理外也。「眷屬圍遶」者，頌長行婆羅門等登地已上人也。「諸人侍衛」，頌長行吏民僮僕地前人也。「或有計算」者，明教門也。非長者自計算，乃使人為之。初成道時七處八會加被菩薩說，即是其事也。「計算」者，明少多義，如五十二位深淺不同。又如初地百法明門、二地千法門等，「注記」者，現在行因未來得果也。計算明說法，注記謂授記也。「窮子見父」下，第三、頌子見父赴避畏心。「借問貧里」者，于時佛未說人天之教，但有人天之機扣佛說人天之教，如借問貧里也。

From "Suppose a young child..." downward is the second [part], versifying the parabolic presentation. In the preceding prose there were three sections: first, requesting the teaching; second, setting forth the parable; third, matching the parable. Now only the latter two are versified. In the setting forth of the parable above, there were ten [parables]; now only eight parables are versified, omitting the sprinkling of cold water on the face and the refining of the narrow mind. Above, the presentation of father and son had four cycles: in the first cycle, the explanation of the son had three meanings: (1) initially being the son; (2) losing the father midway; and (3) the son gradually returning to his home country. Now all of these are versified. It is only that related items are grouped together, altering the arrangement to make a difference. First, two meanings of the son are explained: (1) when he was the son; (2) when he lost the father. The son gradually returning to his home country is moved to be versified later. The initial half-line explains [the time] when he was the son. "A young child" parables the initial arousal of the bodhicitta. "Infantile" explains that the roots of goodness were slight and shallow. "Lacking understanding" explains above that his understanding was small, and now discerns that his delusions were many. The next full line versifies losing each other midway. From "His father, grieving and longing..." downward is the second [part], versifying the father above. The prose explained three points regarding the father: (1) when he was the father; (2) when he lost the son; (3) when he halted in a city to await the son. The verses now group things by category, taking the reiteration of the father in advance into this text to versify it; thus it expands into four: three as above, and the fourth explains the suffering of longing for the son. The two words "His father" versify the meaning of being the father above. From "Grieving and longing..." onward versifies the second meaning above, losing the son. The "four directions" are the four modes of birth. When the son loses the father, it is called the five destinies; when the father loses the son, it is based on the four modes of birth—this is simply expressing it reciprocally. From "Having grown weary in seeking him..." downward versifies the third point above, halting abruptly in a city to await the son. The prose had four aspects: (1) the place of transformation; (2) the master of transformation; (3) the teaching gate; (4) the disciples. Now these are fully versified. "Halting abruptly in a city" versifies the place of transformation. "Built a residence" is second, explaining the manifestation of response to achieve Buddhahood, which versifies the master of transformation. Being unconditioned yet leaving nothing undone, it says "built"; sheltering sentient beings, it is called a "residence." Moreover, the responsive manifestation residing there of itself is also a "residence." Transforming all the five destinies, shallow or deep according to capacity, is called the "five desires." The ultimate person takes saving beings as joy, which is called "diverting himself." "His household was extremely rich" praises the master of transformation. The general meaning of this text contrasts the son's loss of his father—his poverty and lowliness—with praise for the father's loss of his son yet being rich and noble. This clarifies that the śrāvakas, having lost the Mahāyāna, are poor and lowly, while the Buddha, having attained the Mahāyāna, is rich and noble. Using this contrast of depreciation and praise causes the assembly at that time to delight in the Great and despise the Small. Looking at the text, there are three parts: first, explaining the father's great wealth; next, praising the father's great nobility; third, conjointly concluding with wealth and nobility. For wealth and nobility, three matters are explained for each. The three matters of wealth: first, internally having many rare treasures; second, externally being abundant in elephants, horses, carriages, fields, properties, and people; third, profits from lending and borrowing extending throughout other countries. Now praising internal wealth is precisely internally possessing all virtues. From "Elephants, horses, cattle, and sheep..." downward praises external wealth, referring to the teaching gate. From "Servants and people..." downward is still praising external wealth, referring to the disciples who are transformed. From "Profits from lending and borrowing..." downward: above explained the wealth of one country; now it explains that wealth extends throughout other countries, which still has the sense of the disciples transformed by Śākyamuni. "Merchants and traders": "merchants and traders" refers to traveling merchants, while stationary traders refers to those who sell goods. "Customers" (價人) refers to buyers of goods. In the Chang'an region, buying is called *jia* (賈); it does not necessarily follow the classics. From "Myriads of millions of multitudes..." downward is the second [part], praising the father's nobility. This also opens into three distinctions: the first half-line explains those near in the assembly; the next half-line explains being loved and cared for by the Buddhas of the ten directions; the next half-line explains being jointly revered by the bodhisattvas of the ten directions. The one line following "For various reasons..." concludes the meaning of wealth and nobility. Because wealth and nobility are complete, those who come and go are manifold: responding to capacity is "going"; receiving the Way is "coming"; their number is like sands of dust, hence it says "manifold." From "Yet his years were decaying and advanced, and he grieved and longed for his son all the more..." downward is the fourth [part], versifying the reiteration of the father's meaning above. Above there were two sections: (1) the suffering of longing for the son; (2) supposing the joy of finding the son. Now only the first is versified. From "At that time the impoverished son..." downward is this third cycle, re-versifying the son. The prose explained three meanings of the son: (1) when he was the son; (2) when he lost the father; (3) when he gradually returned to his home country. The first cycle already versified two of them; now next it versifies the third, the son gradually returning to his home country. The reason for moving what was originally placed at the beginning to be versified now is to clarify that the son's return home had three periods of near and far: (1) when heading toward the state; (2) when arriving at the city; (3) when reaching the residence. It is simply because related items are grouped together that the arrangement was altered for the verse. The initial half-line versifies rushing through the four quarters in search of food and clothing above, referring to the time of heading toward the state. The two verses from "From village to village..." downward versify the second point above, arriving at the city. Roots of goodness are of two kinds: first, arising at an equal level, such as going from village to village or state to state; second, arising with an increase in grade, such as going from a village to a state. The prose showed the increase in grade; now [the verse] clarifies the equal level. As for "sometimes obtaining something and sometimes obtaining nothing": performing good causes and obtaining good fruits is "obtaining something"; performing indeterminate causes and obtaining no fruit is "obtaining nothing." Furthermore, definitely obtaining a fruit is "obtaining something," while conditions diverging and failing to obtain a fruit is "obtaining nothing." "Starving and emaciated": not being self-sufficient in pleasant fruits is "starving"; roots of merit being unable to strengthen oneself is like "emaciated." "His body covered with sores and scabs": above explained that goodness was small; now it discerns that delusions were many: externally he suffers ridicule and slander, while internally he is afflicted and soiled by manifold delusions. From "Hiring himself out, wandering from place to place..." downward is the fourth [section], the parable of father and son seeing each other, which has two parts: first, versifying the son seeing the father; next, versifying the father seeing the son. In the son seeing the father, the prose had three points: (1) explaining the circumstances of seeing the father; (2) explaining directly seeing the father; (3) giving rise to a mind of avoidance and fear. Now these are fully versified. From "At that time the elder..." downward versifies directly seeing the father. The prose had six phrases; now only three are versified: one line versifies the master of transformation; half a line versifies the disciples; one line versifies the teaching gate. Since this is the speaker of the true Dharma, hearing of the person's three matters is therefore versified. "Within the gate": the ultimate principle, empty and pervasive, is the gate. Since the elder is within the gate, this shows that the impoverished son dwells outside the principle. "Surrounded by his retinue" versifies the brahmins and others above the bhūmis in the prose. "Attended and guarded by everyone" versifies the officials, citizens, and servants prior to the bhūmis in the prose. "Some were calculating..." explains the teaching gate. It is not that the elder calculated himself, but that he caused others to do it. When he first attained the Way, empowering the bodhisattvas to preach at seven places and eight assemblies was precisely this matter. "Calculating" explains the meaning of few and many, like the fifty-two stages being different in depth. Again, it is like the hundred Dharma gates of illumination on the first bhūmi, the thousand Dharma gates on the second bhūmi, and so forth. "Making records" is practicing the cause in the present and obtaining the fruit in the future. Calculating explains preaching the Dharma; making records refers to conferment of prophecy. From "The impoverished son, seeing his father..." downward is the third [part], versifying the son seeing his father and fleeing in avoidance and fear. "Asking for directions to a poor village": at that time the Buddha had not yet preached the teaching of humans and devas, but there was only the capacity of humans and devas knocking upon the Buddha to preach the teaching of humans and devas, like asking for directions to a poor village.